Trends in sudden cardiac death in the northern Sweden MONICA area 1985–99

• Published in: Journal of Internal Medicine
• Main Authors: Messner, T., Lundberg, V.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2003
• Subjects: Arctic; Kalix; Kiruna; Lundberg; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01102.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1046%2Fj.1365-2796.2003.01102.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1365-2796.2003.01102.x

Abstract. Messner T, Lundberg V (Kiruna District Hospital, Kiruna; Kalix District Hospital, Kalix; Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden). Trends in sudden cardiac death in the northern Sweden MONICA area 1985–99. J Intern Med 2003; 253: 320–328. Objectives. To describe time trends in sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurrences between 1985 and 1999. Design. Cohort study with analysis of a database of all symptomatic and/or fatal acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) in the two northernmost counties in Sweden, partly north of the Arctic Circle. Subjects. A total of 1139 cases of SCD amongst men and women aged 35–64 years. Main outcome measure. Sudden cardiac death. Results. Amongst men the proportion of SCD to all AMI deaths (within 28 days of an AMI) was 38% and for women 31%. The mean yearly incidence of SCD in this age group was 65 per 100 000 men and 12 per 100 000 women. Amongst men the mean yearly incidence decreased by 1.8% (95% confidence interval −3.2 to −0.3) and amongst women the decrease was 1.0% (95% confidence interval −4.4 to 2.4). Diabetes mellitus was more common in women compared with men (24% vs. 14%, P = 0.001). Men suffered an SCD more often around noon and on Saturdays, whereas women suffered their SCD on Mondays and Fridays. For season, men and women behaved similarly with a winter peak, although statistical significance was reached only for men. Conclusions. The SCD decreased amongst men between 1985 and 1999. There was also a decrease amongst women during the same time period but not to a statistically significant degree, possibly caused by lack of statistical power due to small numbers.